Fuse holders



June 2, 1959 E. J. NIELSEN 2,889,533

FUSE HOLDERS Filed Aug. 24, 1954 INVENTOR. A 77% J A/z'eZs'efi United States Patent FUSE HOLDERS Erik J. Nielsen, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Square D Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application August 24, 1954, Serial No. 451,816 4 Claims. (Cl. 339-256) This invention relates generally to fuse holders and more particularly to a spring clip cartridge fuse holder adapted to accommodate fuses of different sizes, and fuses provided with different types of adapters.

The object of the present invention is to provide a spring clip cartridge fuse holder which can accommodate standard fuses of various ratings and terminal adapters.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a spring clip cartridge fuse holder and adapter which may convert a ferrule type cartridge type fuse holder to a fuse holder adapted to accommodate a knife-blade-type cartridge fuse.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art on the following specification and appended drawings illustrating certain preferred embodiments of the invention in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spring clip cartridge fuse holder according to this invention shown accommodating a ferrule type cartridge fuse of relatively low voltage and current carrying capacity.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the spring clip cartridge fuse holder of the present invention shown accommodating a ferrule type of cartridge fuse of relatively higher voltage and current carrying capacity.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the spring clip cartridge fuse holder of the present invention shown accommodating a knife-blade-type cartridge fuse.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the spring clip cartridge fuse holder of the present invention showing the adapted for accommodation of the knife-bladetype cartridge fuse withdrawn from the body portion of the fuse holder.

In the electrical industry, standards have been set for not only the distance between the contact clips of fuse holders in fused devices in accordance with the voltage and amperage ratings of the device being fused, but also for the outside diameter of the ferrules in ferruled type cartridge fuses in accordance with the voltage and amperage ratings of the devices being fused. In previous devices, employing fuses, separate fuse holders of each size as set by these industry standards have been required, and as a device is manufactured, it is provided with a fuse holder for accommodation of a fuse of the type to be employed with spacings between fuse holders as prescribed by the size fuse being employed. The present invention is designed to accommodate fuses of a plurality of sizes and types so as to eliminate the need for stocking of a plurality of sizes of fuse holders. When employing the fuse holder as herein disclosed, the holder need only be positioned to align its openings for the accommodation of the proper size fuse and then spaced from its complementary fuse holder to cooperate with the terminals of the fuse being employed.

The spring clip cartridge fuse holder of the present invention constitutes a base portion 1, arm portions 2 and 3 extending upwardly from the base and a tie member 4 cooperating with the upper extremities of the arms. The fuse holder is constructed of electrically conductive material and is formed along its arms 2 and 3 to present up- 2,889,533 Patented June 2, 1959 wardly extending complementary curved portions 5, 6 and 7, 8.

The tie member 4 is formed in a substantially V shape and the extremities of the legs of the V are bent at degrees to present engaging portions for cooperation with the arms 2 and 3 of the fuse'holder. The extremities of the arms 2 and 3 are wrapped around the bent portions of the tie member 4 so as to be secured thereto. Tie member 4 serves two purposes: firstly, because of its inherent resilience it maintains a bias on the arms 2 and 3 to insure good electrical contact between the fuse holder and the fuse it accommodates and, secondly, the V por-- tion between the arms 2 and 3 provides an end stop be yond which a fuse held within the holder may not extend.

In Figure 4 is shown an adapter which may be placed within complementary curved portions 7, 8 of the fuse holder to adapt the holder for accommodation of cartridge fuses of the knife-blade type. The adapter constitutes a cylinder-like member 11 having inwardly bent portions 12 and 13 with the innermost end of portion 12 return bent in a U fashion upon itself to provide a stop portion at 14. The base of cylinder-like member 11 opposite the inwardly bent portions 12 and 13 is formed outwardly at 15 and 16 from its true cylinder shape to form alignment guides cooperating with the bends of the complementary curved portions 5, 6 to insure proper alignment of the space between inwardly bent portions 12 and 13. The base portion 1 of the fuse holder is provided with a hole 17 through which may pass a screw or stud for attachment of the holder to a device not shown.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate the spring clip cartridge fuse holder of the present invention in use with fuses of different sizes as prescribed by the previous mentioned standards of the electrical industry, the spring clip cartridge fuse holder of the present invention being provided with two complementary curved portions designated 5, 6 and 7, 8, it being understood that the terminal itself will be mounted to the device it is to fuse a distance from its complementary fuse terminal as prescribed by these set standards. A fuse rated to protect the device upon which the present fuse holder is mounted may be inserted into the prescribed curved portions of the fuse holder; however, a fuse rated at any other rating may not be inserted into the fuse holders for reasons either of its spacing from the complementary fuse holder or of the diameter of its ferrule, or, as will be seen, because of the type of terminals provided on the fuse.

The electrical industry is further standardized in certain voltage and amperage ratings on a knife-blade type cartridge fuse having established thickness of blades, width of blades, and overall length. The fuse holder of the present invention is adapted to accommodate knifeblade type cartridge fuses by being provided with the adapter 11 providing contact jaw walls at 12 and 13 for cooperation with the blades of this type fuse.

In addition, the present fuse holder will permit the conversion thereof from a holder adapted for ferrule type cartridge fuses to a holder adapted for a knife-blade type cartridge fuses without a change in alignment of the complementary fuse holders although some change may have to be made in the spacing between fuse holders.

It may now be seen that the spring clip cartridge fuse holder of the present invention provides a fuse terminal which may be employed in most of the standard ratings as established in the electrical industry regardless of whether the ferrule type or knife type cartridge fuse is to be used, and will eliminate the need of stocking many different types of fuse holders.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically disclosed, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto as many variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadest possible interpretation within the terms of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fuse holder, an adapter for converting a fuse holder of the ferrule type to a fuse holder of the knifeblade type, a continuous strip conducting and resilient member having an external contour complementary with the contour of a fuse clip portion of said ferrule type fuse holder so as to be positionable therein, and having return bent end portions within said external contour defining a slot into which the blade portion of a knife blade type fuse may be inserted.

2. In a fuse holder, an adapter for converting a fuse holder of the ferrule type to a fuse holder of the knifeblade type, a continuous strip conducting and resilient member having return bent portions defining a slot into which the blade portion of a knife-blade type fuse may be inserted, said member having an external contour complementary With the fuse clip portion of said ferrule type fuse holder so as to be positionable therein, said external contour having formed portions serving to index and align said adapter within said ferrule type fuse holder.

3. A fuse holder and adapter for the accommodation of various sizes and types of fuses comprising a resilient U-shaped strip member of conducting material open at one end and adapted for attachment at the other end, said U shape establishing a pair of arms each being complementar'ily formed to provide paired curved surfaces one above the other along said arms, said paired curved surfaces establshing engagement surfaces of different radii whereby each may individually accommodate ferrule type fuses of different sizes, and said adapter having an external contour complementary with the contour of one of said paired curved surfaces so as to be insertable into said fuse holder between said arms and in said one of said 4 paired surfaces and having substantially parallel internal surfaces arranged to accommodate fuses of the knifeblade type.

4. A fuse holder and adapter for the accommodation of various sizes and types of fuses comprising a resilient U-shaped strip member of conducting material open at one end and adapted for attachment at the other end, said U shape establishing a pair of arms each complementarily formed to provide paired curved surfaces one above the other along said arms, said paired curved surfaces establishing engagement surfaces of different radii whereby each may individually accommodate ferrule type fuses of different sizes, said adapter having an external contour complementary with the contour of one of said paired curved surfaces so as to be insertable into said fuse holder between said arms and in said one of said paired curved surfaces and having substantially parallel internal surfaces arranged to accommodate fuses of the knife-blade type, and resilient means joining the extremities of said arms to bias them against spreading and providing a registering means for both said fuse accommodating curved surfaces and said adapter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,266,575 Frank May 21, 1918 1,325,698 Milloy Dec. 23, 1919 1,624,426 Mumaw et al Apr. 12, 1927 1,917,860 Wadsworth July 11, 1933 1,942,341 Mangin Jan. 2, 1934 1,953,807 Jackson et al Apr. 3, 1934 1,983,281 Fries Dec. 4, 1934 1,991,607 Faile Feb. 19, 1935 2,096,580 Frank et a1. Oct. 19, 1937 2,320,623 Lopp et al June 1, 1943 

